Africa-Press – Eritrea. The average human being exhales 1kg of carbon dioxide in a day. This is without straining and adding onto activities that lead to poisonous carbon emissions like carbon footprint.
Carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide produced by an individual or operation, measured in tonnes.
Every action taken has either a positive or negative impact on the environment. This includes what we buy, eat or how we choose to travel.
Every individual has to take part in combating the effects of climate change.
Here are some ways you can reduce your carbon footprint, daily and annually.
Switch off the lights
Switching one’s lights off when they are not in use, or when it is not necessary for them to be on, reduces CO2 emissions.
Switch to LED bulbs
Led bulbs are significantly more energy-efficient than incandescent lamps. They use more than 75 per cent less energy.
They are also more efficient than most fluorescent lamps.
Their lifespan is longer than incandescent lamps.
Buy fewer clothes
The Hot or Cool Institute in its study recommended that the minimum number of clothes an individual can purchase to reduce their footprint is five annually.
To stay below the Paris Agreement of 1.5 degrees celsius target, people, especially those who are living in the G20 countries, must adhere to this.
Even to those beyond the G20, we must limit our clothes shopping and reuse or DIY to a different piece of clothing.
“The emotional aspects intrinsic to experiencing fashion, changing garments and experimenting with self-expression could be filled by other practices such as providing skills for modifying or mending one’s clothes,” the Institute’s report reads.
“Using upcycled materials, and changing the attitude towards fashion aesthetics.”
Switch to a vegan diet
This means you have to eat more fruits, veggies, grains and beans. Going vegan in a day can reduce one’s carbon footprint by 3.6 kg.
Meat and dairy are responsible for 14.5 per cent of man-made greenhouse gas emissions, which is from feed production, process and methane from the livestock.
Take the stairs
Using the stairs saves up the electricity used in the elevators and lifts. Another advantage to using stairs is that you get to exercise.
Use recyclable energy or green energy
This involves the use of solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower.
Depending on what one is using, renewable energy emits between 11 and 740 gCO2 on a life-cycle basis.
Use of eco-friendly cookers, especially pressure cookers can use up to 70 per cent less energy.
Avoid using fossil fuels, which are responsible for emissions of about 34 billion tonnes (Gt) per year.
About 45% of this is from coal, about 35% from oil and about 20% from gas.
Shop locally
This means one should consider purchasing from stores that source their manufacturing locally. This can mean from within the country or neighbouring countries.
Outsourcing manufacturing needs a lot of transportation, which increases greenhouse gas emissions.
Take shorter showers
Reduce the time you take in the shower. Using less hot water requires less energy to heat it.
Try taking two minutes less in the shower. It also saves water used.
Promote reuse and recycle
Recycle your plastic cans, newspapers and shopping bags.
Promote reusing the products you are not using. They can be electronics, clothes or containers.
Unplug your computer at night
Even when powered down, our electronics tend to continue using energy.
Remember to unplug your electronics, especially computers and TVs when they are not in use.
One should also power down computers when away. It uses at least 65 per cent less energy when it is off than when on idle.
Use public transport more
Carbon dioxide emissions from the transport system are the highest contributors to global warming.
Avoid driving and try taking a bus, which will not only reduce the CO2 emission but also the growing traffic congestion.
A 2017 study showed that going carless for a year could save about 2.6 tonnes of gas.
Since it is nearly impossible to, ensure that you service your car regularly for efficiency, cut down on air conditioning, and go easy on the gas and brakes.
Promote carpooling to reduce the number of cars travelling, which in turn reduces emissions.
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